Thread tensioning device for braiding machines and the like



June 21, 1938 JANSSEN 2,12L739 THREAD TENSIONING DEVICE FOR BRAIDING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed July 27,1935

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li n? Jiimssezg ATTORNEY.

Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THREAD TENSIONING DEVICE FOR BRA ID- ING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Application July 27, 1935, Serial No. 33,530

11 Claims.

This invention relates to thread tensioning devices, and particularly to tensioning devices employed in braiding machines and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a 5 thread tensioning device with a novel structure for maintaining the thread fed therethrough at a predetermined degree of tension.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined thread guide and tensioning device in which the degree of tension may be varied as desired.

Still another object is to provide a composite thread guide and tension member particularly adapted for use in conjunction with the fabrication of material in Which elastic thread is used.

A further object is to provide means for directing yarn through a zigzag course to effect a multiplicity of angular contact surfaces and means for automatically varying the surfaces.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means for varying the angle of the yarn as it passes between relatively movable guides thereby to automatically adjust the tension on the yarn.

Still another object is to render such device simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture and effective in its operation.

With these and othervobjects in view which will become more readily apparent from the following detailed 'description of the illustrative 30 embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing, my invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation view of a portion of a braiding machine, in which my invention is shown in operative relationship;

Fig. 2 is an end view of a yarn guide constructed 40 in accordance with the present invention, certain parts thereof shown in section to more clearly illustrate the structure thereof;

Fig. 3 is a section view taken on line 3--3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section view taken on line 44, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

This invention is adapted to braiding machines 50 and the like, wherein elastic thread is employed while subjected to a predetermined degree of tension. For purposes of setting forth the features of this device it is being illustrated and described in connection with a braiding machine, it being understood, however, that this will in no way affect the status of the invention or limit the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawing, reference numeral l indicates a deck or top plate of a braiding machine in which a sinuous raceway is formed for guiding the operative course of a series of carriers l2 in manner necessary to interengage the threads and thereby fabricate the desired product. The raceway for the carriers is formed by quoits or tellers I4 and the top plate ill in the usual manner. The quoits M are operatively positioned by gear bolts l6, being secured thereto by nut elements I! which are carried by threaded portions l thereof, Figs. 1 and 2. Carriers 12, which are supported on the top plate H by means of the top and bottom plates 3 and. I9 of the foot portions thereof, are guided along the raceway by means of heart pieces extending from carrier pipes 22. Actuation of the carriers is effected through means of lugs 23 and a gear train (not shown) operating in well known manner.

Bobbin rests 24 are secured to each of the carrier pipes 22 thereby providing supports for bobbins 25, see Fig. 1, while guide eyes 26 are carried by the upper extremities of the carrier pipes 22 for guiding the thread 21 from the bobbin to the braiding point (not shown). The thread guide eyes are preferably made of an extremely hard polished material, such for instance as porcelain.

Upon the upper end l5 of the stationary gear bolt 5, or upon as many thereof as desired, is secured a warp guide 30 for guiding the thread from the warp supply (not shown) to the braid ing point while the thread from the bobbins 25 is interbraided therewith coincident with the movement of the carriers [2 around the raceway.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a series of thread guide eyes or eyelets 32 which are respectively anchored to arms 34 of the upright base element, support or standard 30, see Figs. 3, 4 and 5; while additional guide eyes or eyelets 35 are movably supported in parallel planes intermediate the eyes 32. The eyes 35 are carried by spaced arms 36 extending from a tensioning lever 31, which is-inturn operatively supported between brackets 38 and 39 by means of a pin 40. One end of the pin 40 extends through suitable openings formed in the brackets 38 and 39, as well as through the bearing portion of the tensioning lever, while the opposite end thereof is loosely supported in a bracket 42, see Fig. 1.

Extending from the upper end of the pin 48 is a lock or holding element for cooperating with a shoulder 46 formed on the upper surface of the bracket 38, Figs. 1 and 5. These members 55 and 46 cooperate in manner necessary to releasably hold the pin 40 to the standard to prevent inoperative rotative movements thereof. Atorsion spring 43, wound about the pin 40 intermediate the brackets 39 and 42, has one end secured to the pin 40 whereas the opposite end is anchored to a member 44 extending from the tensioning lever 31. Thus the spring 43, in addition to normally biasing the guide eye portion of the tension lever out of axial alinement with the stationaryguide eyes 32, likewise maintains the position-accen tuating or holding element 45 in holding engagement with the shoulder portion at of bracket '38 whereby the tensioning influence of the spring 53 is maintained at a predetermined degree and inoperative movements of the pin are prevented.

The torsional action of the spring 13 may readily be increased or decreased by raising the pin and moving the element Q5 out of engagement. with the shoulder 45 and rotating the pin 40 clockwise or counterclockwise, Figs. 4 and 5, the required extent before reseating the element into looking engagement with the shoulder 46.

It will be observed that the tensioning lever 31 is turnably mounted on the pin fill, being connected thereto through means of the spring Q3, opposite ends of which are respectively secured to the pin and to the extension 44 of lever 3'3, see Figs. 1 and 4. Thus inasmuch as the pin E9 is held in any desired rotative position through means of the members and 46, and since the tensioning lever 31 is rotatable relative thereto, the torsional action of the spring 43 is directly transmitted to the lever 31 whereupon the guide eyes 35 are normally biased from, and out of axial alinement relative to, the stationary eyes 32,

Fig. 3 illustrates the zig-zag course followed by the elastic thread as it is drawn through the respective guide eyes during operation of the machine. This path is appreciably modified as compared with the course followed when the respective eyes are positioned as in Fig. 4, in which latter position the thread is prevented from passing therethrough because of holding action ef fected by the acute angular relationshipexisting between adjacent portions of the thread positioned therein.

In order to permit stretching of the finished product it is desirable,-during the fabrication of the fabric, that the elastic thread be incorporated in the fabric while stretched to the elastic limit. This condition is readily effected through means of this invention inasmuch as the tension of the spring 43 may be adjusted to prevent passage of thread therethrough until the elastic limit is reached. Thus when the process of fabrication has been completed the elastic thread incorporated therein returns to its normal undistorted condition, whereupon the fabric proper, embodying a corresponding degree of resiliency because of the presence of the elastic thread, likewise resumes its undistorted status. Different threads, separately embodying corresponding degrees of resiliency, may. readily be used in conjunction with this device with equal efficiency inasmuch as the adjustable feature associated with the tensioning lever 31 makes it possible to regulate the biasing action thereof accordingly as desired.

During the initial operation of a machine embodying this invention the tension lever 31 is normally biased in thread looking or holding position, see Fig.7 4, in which the angularity of the thread is such as will prevent drawing of the thread therethrough. However, the spring 43 is preferably so adjusted that the tension lever 31 will move from the holding position of Fig. 4 to the release position, see Figs. 2, 3 and 5, immediately upon the stretching of the thread to its elastic limit, thereby feeding the thread to the braiding point while stressed toits elastic limit, while however preventing rupture thereof. It will be appreciated that following the stretching of the thread to the elastic limit, or to some other predetermined limit controlled by adjustment of spring 43, the thread will be supplied to the braiding or fabricating point under the predetermined tension conditions. Thus the thread will be held in the warp guide eyes until the force applied thereto to draw it through the guide eyes 32 and 35 is of sufficient intensity to overcome the kinking action applied by the spring 43 and the tension lever 37, whereupon restrained sliding movement of the thread relative to the guide eyesis effected.

From Figs. 1 and 5 it will be observed that the spring 43, in addition to controlling the degree of holding action exerted upon the thread by the lever 31, also acts as a compression member through means of which the lock piece 45 is biased into holding engagement with the shoulder portion Mi, whereby the axial as well as the rotative positioning of the pin 40 is accentuated. Through means of the adjustable feature embodied in the member 45, the torsional effect of the spring 43 may be regulated to take care of any condition to which the device may be subjected insofar as diiferent' kinds of thread are concerned.

The mounting herein provided for the pin 40 is of simple. construction to permit ready adjustment of the control spring 43, and also to facili-' tate replacement of the springs whenever it is found expedient to do so.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described by which I obtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed; r

I claim:

1. In a braiding machine and the like, the combination with a series of braiding carriers, of a stationary thread guide and tensioning device comprising a standard,-aligned thread guide eyes spacedly positioned on said standard, a tensioning lever turnably mounted on the standard and swingable from thread holding to threadreleasing position, a series of aligned guide eyes on said lever, a pin element supported by said standard providing a pivotal mounting for said-tensional lever, and resilient meansintermediate said pin and tensioning lever normally biasing the tensioning lever into thread holding position. '1

2. A thread guiding and tensioning implement for braiding machines and the like, comprising a standard, a series of. stationary thread guides spacedly supported thereon, a thread tensioning member swingably mounted on saidstandard having yarn directing fingers extending therefrom movable in planes parallel to. said stationary guides and cooperating therewith to control feeding of thread therethrough, a pin member carried by said standard providing a pivotal mounting for said swingable tensioning member, and means intermediate said pin and standard for releasably holding said pin relative to said standard.

3. A thread guiding and tensioning implement for'braiding machines and the like, comprisinga standard, a series of stationary thread guides supported thereby in parallel spaced relationship, a thread tensioning member swingably mounted on said standard having thread directing fingers extending therefrom movable in planes parallel to said stationary guides and cooperating therewith to control the feeding of thread therethrough, a pin member intermediate said standard and ten,- sioning member, and resilient means for biasing said fingers from said stationary thread guides.

l. A thread guiding and tensioning implement for braiding machines and the like, comprising a standard, a series of stationary thread guides supported thereby in parallel spaced relationship, a thread tensioning member swingably mounted on said standard having thread directing fingers extending therefrom movable in planes parallel to said stationary guides and cooperating therewith to control the feeding of thread therethrough, a pin member intermediate said standard and tensioning member, and a coil spring mounted around said pin having opposite ends secured to said pin and tensioning member for biasing the latter towards thread holding position.

5. A thread guiding and tensioning implement for braiding machines and the like, comprising a standard, a series of stationary thread guides supported thereby in parallel spaced relationship, a thread tensioning member swingably mounted on said standard having thread directing fingers extending therefrom movable in planes parallel to said stationary guides and cooperating therewith to control the feeding of thread therethrough, a pin member intermediate said standard and tensioning member, a coil spring mounted around said pin having opposite ends secured to said pin and tensioning member for biasing the latter towards thread holding position, means for adjusting the rotative positioning of said pin for varying the biasing action of said spring, and means for releasably holding said pin in adjusted position. 7

6. In a braiding machine or the like, the combination of a raceplate, a raceway in, said raceplate, a plurality of carriers traversing said raceway, and a thread guiding and tensioningimplement comprising a standard, a series of stationary thread guide eyes supported by said standard in spaced parallel relationship, a pin member carried by said standard, a thread tensioning member pivotally mounted on said pin member having thread directing eyes extending therefrom movable in planes parallel to said stationary eyes and cooperating therewith to control the feeding of thread therethrough, and a coil spring encircling said pin member having its opposite ends secured to said pin and tensioning member for biasing the movable guide eyes from said stationary eyes to control the tension on the thread passing therethrough.

7. A thread guiding and tensioning device, comprising a support, stationary thread guide eyes extending from one side of the support, bearing portions extending from the opposite side of said support, a pin member sup-ported by said bearing portions, a thread tensioning member pivotally mounted on said pin member having thread guide eyes extending therefrom movable in planes parallel tosaid stationary eyes into and out of alignment therewith, and a coil spring encircling said pin member having its opposite ends secured to said pin and tensioning member for biasing the movable guide eyes from said stationary eyes.

8. A thread guiding and tensioning implement, comprising a support, a series of stationary thread guides supported thereby in parallel spaced relationship, a thread tensioning member swingably mounted on said support having thread di recting fingers extending therefrom movable in planes parallel to said stationary guides and cooperating therewith to control the feeding of thread therethrough, a pin member intermediate said supportand tensioning member, a coil spring mounted around said pin having opposite ends secured to said pin and tensioning member for biasing the latter towards thread holding position, and means for adjusting the rotative positioning of said pin for varying the biasing action of said spring.

9. A thread guide and tensioning implement, comprising a standard, a plurality of stationary thread guides spacedly supported on the standard, a thread tensioning member swingably mounted on said standard having yarn directing fingers extending therefrom movable in planes parallel to said stationary guides and cooperating therewith to control feeding of thread therethrough, a pin member carried by said standard providing a pivotal mounting for said swingable tensioning member, and means intermediate said pin and standard for releasably holding said pin relative to said standard.

10. A thread guiding and tensioning implement, comprising a standard, a plurality of stationary thread guides supported in parallel spaced relationship on the standard, a thread tensioning member swingably mounted on said standard having thread directing fingers extending therefrom movable in planes parallel to said stationary guides and cooperating therewith to control the feeding of thread therethrough, a pin member intermediate said standard and tensioning member, a coil spring mounted around said pin having opposite ends secured to said pin and tensioning member for biasing the latter towards thread holding position, and means for adjusting the rotative positioning of said pin for varying the biasing action of said spring.

11. A yarn guiding and tensioning device for a yarn fabricating machine, comprising a first yarn guide means including a series of yarn guide elements disposed in fixed aligned spaced relation to each other, a second yarn guide means for cooperation with said first yarn guide means including yarn directing means, said yarn directing means and said series related yarn guide elements being disposed in interspersed series relation to each other, supporting means for one of said yarn guide means, and spring biased yarn tensioning arm means carrying the other of said yarn guide means, said arm means being laterally movable to move its yarn guide means away from a first position in alignment with said one yarn guide means to a second yarn tensioning position laterally from said alignment position at only one side thereof and back toward said first position, said second position being the only position other than said first position to which any of the yarn is moved by the device.

HENRY JANSSEN. 

